Sunbathers and nuns sat side-by-side today on Rio de Janeiro's iconic Copacabana beach, as more than a million people gather for an evening vigil Mass that will be said by Pope Francis.

The Argentinian Pontiff- who is due to return to Rome tomorrow- arrived at the beach tonight to celebrate World Youth Day in his Popemobile. He made his way through the crowds, waving to his followers before reaching the grand altar where he will say Mass.

Pilgrims and locals set up tents and sleeping bags by the sea, to witness the service.

After receiving a shirt from one of
Rio’s beloved football teams from the legendary Zico and visiting one of
the city’s most violent slums, Pope Francis today immersed himself
further in Brazilian culture as he modelled a local tribesman’s feather
headdress.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Guest of honour: Pope Francis waves to the crowd along the beachfront in Rio de Janeiro on his way for a prayer vigil at Copacabana beach

The stage is set: A huge cross is illuminated behind the grand altar where the Pope will say Mass (left). As darkness falls on Copacabana beach (right) floodlights are switched on so the patient Catholics can catch a glimpse of their Pope

Making an entrance: Never short of pomp and ceremony, the Pope slows makes his way through the throngs in his popemobile

Approachable: Reaction to the Pope's week long visit has been overwhelmingly popular in the city, with Catholics saying Pope Francis is trying to break down the boundaries between the church and its people

Carnival spirit: With colourful flags in the air and tents dotted around the beach, the build up to the prayer vigil looked similar to that of a festival. A huge banner with the image of Pope Francis is stretched across the crowd

Long-awaited: Hundreds of thousands of Catholics have been camped out on Copacabana beach in anticipation of the last event in the Pope's week-long trip to Brazil

Greeting: The Pope waves as he arrives to say prayers this evening (left). He greets a bishop on stage (right)

Dramatic: Rio de Janeiro's most famous sandy stretch- Copacabana beach, has been taken over by worshipers who are camping out to see Pope Francis tonight

Crowds: One million people will attend the vigil service in celebration of World Youth Day. The Argentinian Pope's visit to Brazil is his first overseas trip

Stunning: The number of people descending on the busy beach can be appreciated from a distance. The event is the climax of the popular Pope's first visit to Brazil

Devout: Pilgrims and locals have flocked to the scene of the Mass, where the Pope will appear before he returns to Rome tomorrow

Side by side: Two Polish nuns look out to sea beside two sunbathers in bikinis. The gathering of nuns the famous beach has created some unusual sights

Halo: Pope Francis appeared to be holier than usual when his head was surrounded by a light that formed a crescent-shaped halo as he preached to bishops, priests and seminarians at the Cathedral of St. Sebastian

The Pontiff, 76,
was met by Brazilian Indians at the capital’s grand municipal theatre,
where he spoke with the country’s political and economic elite.

When
groups lined up to kiss the Pontiff’s ring, a man from the Pataxo tribe
offered Pope Francis an alternative to his traditional ceremonial
headdress.

The Pope wore the flamboyant headdress, which is designed in a fan-shape as he spoke with the tribe.

Now
on his sixth day of his first overseas trip, the leader of one of the
world’s biggest churches continued to preach about the need for a better
dialogue after weeks of violent protests in Brazil.

Share this article

During
his speech at the Municipal theatre- where he was met with a standing
ovation- he said better dialogue was needed between religions.

He said: ‘Between selfish indifference and violent protest there is always another possible option: that of dialogue.

'A
country grows when constructive dialogue occurs between its many rich
cultural components: popular culture, university culture, youth culture,
artistic and technological culture, economic culture, family culture
and media culture.'

Commentators have said the Pope's visit to Brazil has been a unifying success.

When
he arrived at the theatre to deliver his remarks, he was welcomed with a
standing ovation and shouts of 'Long live the pope!'

Juxtaposition: Scantily-clad sunbathers and nuns are side by side as the city prepares for the climax of the Pope's visit

Double take: A nun standing by the shore looks back at sunbathers who are topping up their tan. The popular beach is usually crowded, but it is drawing in huge numbers for tonight's event

Biblical: Swimmers emerge from the sea as monks look on in anticipation of the vigil mass. During his visit, the Pope has been to one of the city's most dangerous slums

Watch out: A nun dressed in a white habit looks surprised as the tide comes in fast beneath her feet while a surfer looks more prepared for the beach environment

Spectacular: From its blue skies to its blue seas, Rio provides a dramatic backdrop for the nighttime service

Overhead: Lifeguards that belong to the fire department fly on a helicopter over pilgrims bathing on Copacabana beach

Resting: Dozens of Catholics get some shut eye as they wait for the Pope's appearance

Hand in hand: The Catholic faithful walk makes its way across the sand on world Youth Day. Many of the 1million expected to turn up to the vigil will be children and young people

The Masses: The Catholics gathered on Copacabana beach make for a colourful sight

International event: Flags from the UK and Brazil illustrate the world-wide appeal of Pope Francis

Earlier in the day, he delivered a Mass with 1,000 bishops in Rio's beehive-like modern cathedral.

Pope
Francis echoed the message he has delivered to pilgrims at World Youth
Day all week- a radical call to renew the dusty church, which has seen
its numbers dwindle in Europe thanks to general apathy.

'We cannot keep ourselves shut up in parishes, in our communities when so many people are waiting for the Gospel!

'It's not enough simply to open the door in welcome, but we must go out through that door to seek and meet the people.'

The
slum pope'- who is respected for his work with the poor, received a
rapturous welcome in the Varginha shantytown on Thursday, part of a slum
area of northern Rio so violent it's known as the Gaza Strip.

The
76-year-old seemed entirely at home, wading into cheering crowds,
kissing people young and old and telling them the Catholic Church is on
their side.

The Varginha visit was one of the highlights of Francis' weeklong trip to Brazil, his first as pope.

Strong message: The Pope told the thousands of youngsters to get out into the streets and spread their faith, saying a church that doesn't go out and preach simply becomes a civic or humanitarian group

Man of the people: The slum pope'- who is respected for his work with the poor, received a rapturous welcome in the Varginha shantytown on Thursday, part of a slum area of northern Rio so violent it's known as the Gaza Strip

Trying on a new look: The Argentinian Pope modelled a local tribesman's feather headdress earlier today

Preaching: Pope Francis waves to people from his popemobile as he visits the Varginha slum. The 76-year-old has been greeted by standing ovations and shouts of 'Long live the Pope' during his visit

The
surprise, though, came during his encounter with Argentine pilgrims,
scheduled at the last minute in yet another sign of how this spontaneous
pope is shaking up the Vatican's staid and often stuffy protocol.

He
told the thousands of youngsters, with an estimated 30,000 Argentines
registered, to get out into the streets and spread their faith, saying a
church that doesn't go out and preach simply becomes a civic or
humanitarian group.

'I want
to tell you something. What is it that I expect as a consequence of
World Youth Day? I want a mess. We knew that in Rio there would be great
disorder, but I want trouble in the dioceses!' he said, speaking off
the cuff in his native Spanish.

'I
want to see the church get closer to the people. I want to get rid of
clericalism, the mundane, this closing ourselves off within ourselves,
in our parishes, schools or structures. Because these need to get out!'